Sports Versus Martial Arts: Does Ultimate Fighting Protect
You In Real Life Situations?

By Gene Roos

UFC competitor Joel Sutton punches Christopher
Caile during a mixed martial arts practice, (1) While Ultimate
Fighters and mixed martial arts compeitiors often go to the ground
to fight, in street situations this can be especially dangerous
if the attacker has a weapon or if there are multiple attackers.

Watching Ultimate and mixed martial arts fighting is entertaining.
It has also become big business. TV shows featuring this type of fighting
now rivals both boxing and professional wrestling for audience attention.
Action is fast, hard and it is real – blood and sweat. Fighters
are well trained and conditioned. Techniques traded include various mixtures
of punching and kicking, grappling and ground fighting where participants
trade blows, leverage joints and use choke holds looking for a submission
or a referee’s intervention to end the fight.

But, will Ultimate Fighting (UFC) skill protect you from a real life,
on the street attack? The answer is, only on a limited basis.

Let’s first look at how Ultimate Fighting has evolved from its
inception (initial broadcast in 1993 to the present).

Initial Broadcast

Present

Only two rules:
- No Eye Gouging
- No Biting

Same plus:
- No Groin Strikes
- No back of head elbow strikes
- No finger and wrist locks
- No kicks or kneeling to the head on a grounded opponent, etc.
- 4oz gloves required (2)

Ten minute rounds

Three to five minute rounds

No weight classes (heaviest fighter was 6689 pounds)

Five weight classes

Winner fought four people to win (in one evening)

One fight

Thus, we see that Ultimate Fighting has changed dramatically. Now there
are more rules, weight classes, time limits, single fights and many prohibitions
on allowed targets. In short, fights are more regulated and attempts have
been made to eliminate the most dangerous techniques.

Next let us look at comparisons of Ultimate Fights to a street fight
or attack.

Ultimate Fights

Street

Many rules for prohibited techniques and behavior
seen below)

No rules
Addition to no rules are groin strikes, smashiing ear drums, ripping
and breaking the neck, small joint locks and breaks

In short, the street is very different. There can be weapons, multiple
attackers and attacks can be sudden and unprovoked. And the back of your
head or eyes can be easy targets if you are not aware enough. If you go
to the ground with one person, as is often the case in Ultimate Fighting,
you may just find yourself kicked, hit or stabbed by others who are standing.
In fact, if attacked by a gang on the street, the ground is the last place
you want to be.

Given these limitations, however, if a martial arts student wants to
test his fighting skills, the Ultimate Fighting or mixed martial arts
sport competition is one avenue that will allow him to come closer to
experiencing an actual attack. But, it should realized that a comprehensive
set of rules is instituted for the competitors' safety, which separates
the sport from a street brawl. There is also the factor that competitors
have the opportunity to scout (past matches) of his opponent and determine
his style and favorite techniques in order to spot his weaknesses. In
a street confrontation the above is not available.

Ultimate Fighting (UFC) or mixed martial arts competition matches are
not for everyone, as many fighters leave the encounter injured and bloody
in spite of the rules. But students of mixed martial arts who choose to
compete will find their experience equal to being involved in a full contact
sport with limited protective gear (mouth piece, cup and gloves).

If the martial arts student wants to be prepared for self-defense on
the streets, however, other arts can be helpful. Jujutsu, for example,
is a pure self-defense art that teaches defenses from both unarmed and
armed attacks. Like Ultimate Fighting it also combines strikes and kicks
with throws, wrist, arm and body manipulations, but tries to avoid going
to the ground for the reasons stated above. (3)

In sum, Ultimate Fighting or mixed martial arts are interesting to watch
and involve real skill, but they are constrained by rules and limitations
which limit their similarity to the street – especially if the attack
involves weapons and multiple opponents. The study of another martial
art, such as jujutsu that is based on street, multiple opponent and even
weapon self-defense, might be more useful.

Footnote:

(1) Photo courtesy of Christopher Caile, Editor
of FightingArts.com. Sutton a boxer and Praying Mantis Kung Fu practitioner
won two early Ultimate Fighting Championship preliminary bouts and later
competed in several international mixed martial arts competitions. Later
he took up Krav Maga and now teaches that self-defense art. Sutton was
a housemate of Christopher Caile for severl years on Grand Island (Buffalo),
NY. Caile accommodated Sutton’s training by creating a mixed martial
arts training facility in a building near his home.

(2) Points and fouls have increased from the
original UFC fights. Also each sport organization (Pride, K-1, Vale Tudo,
etc. ) determines its own rules. These are the rules that are listed on
the UFC site which for copywrite laws, cannot be listed in the article
but you can access them on the website. (http://www.ufc.tv/index.cfm?fa=LearnUFC.Rules
)

(3) The practice of Jujutsu
(as with other martial arts) can vary from light or controlled to heavy
sparring including fighting applications. As you approach real life
applications, the injury level increases significantly. This can
cause loss of students and possible law suits. The sensei should
make a decision on how close to reality the techniques in his school will
approach.

Author’s Note: In Ultimate
Fighting the rule for a disqualification is as follows: a "warning"
will be given when a fighter commits a foul or illegal action or does
not follow the referee's instruction. Three (3) warnings will result in
a disqualification. Moreover, if a fighter is injured and unable to continue
due to a deliberate illegal technique from his opponent, the opponent
will be disqualified.

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About The Author:

Prof. Gene Roos, 10th dan Ju Jitsu, and 4th dan in judo, is a member
of the Board of Directors for the America Ju Jitsu Association. He is
a frequent contributor to FightingArts.com. In 1958 was awarded Shodan
(Judo) and won the Regional Judo Champion. In 1958 & 1959 was Judo
State Champion. His instructors include: Harold Brosious (Ketsugo), Dennis
Palumbo (Hakko Ryu Ju Jitsu, 8th Dan), George Kirby, & Shizuya Sato
(Ju Jitsu), Wally Jay (Small Circle Ju Jitsu), Dr. Sacharnoski (Hard Style
Ju Jitsu & Ki) and Master Mochizuki (a student of Funakoshi, Kano,
& Ueshiba). He is also the author of a series of upcoming books on
Aiki jujitsu as well as a number of videos including: "Aiki Jujitsu"
(a three video tapes series with manuals); "Deadly Attacks"
(defense against 30 knife, gun, stick and empty hand attacks); "Deadly
Attacks- part II" (defense against an additional 30 knife, gun and
empty hand attacks); "Deadly Attacks III" and "Devastating
Throws and Other Deadly Attacks " (defense against 30 advanced combat
throws, knife attacks, stick, and a rear shotgun attack), For more information
see: http://www.aikijujitsu.homestead.com/aikijujitsu.html